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Charles Robinson
Charles Shane Robinson (born July 2, 1964) is an American professional wrestling referee and former professional wrestler currently signed to WWE. Charles Robinson 03.jpg Charles Robinson 02.jpg Charles Robinson 01.jpg While growing up, Robinson idolized NWA superstar Ric Flair. He also studied NWA referee Tommy Young in order to hone his mannerisms as a referee. His professional wrestling career began when he joined the Pro Wrestling Federation (PWF) as a photographer in 1995. After being used as a special guest referee in 1995, he later became a full-time referee for the PWF. Robinson repeatedly petitioned World Championship Wrestling (WCW) for a job. On September 15, 1997, he was given a tryout match, refereeing a dark match between Chris Adams and Kendall Windham before WCW Monday Nitro at Independence Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina. A few weeks following the match, Robinson was contacted by WCW and signed to a contract. His first appearance was during the WCW TV tapings at Universal Studios in Orlando Florida. In 1999, Robinson became the heel referee of the Four Horsemen, aligning himself with Flair. Robinson frequently favored the Horsemen in the matches he officiated, enraging Randy Savage. Savage, who had been suspended by Flair (then the WCW President), proposed a match between his girlfriend, Gorgeous George, and Robinson, with Savage to be reinstated if George defeated Robinson. The match, which marked Robinson's wrestling debut, took place at WCW Slamboree 1999 on May 9, 1999. Robinson, dubbed "Little Naitch" (a reference to Flair's nickname, the "Nature Boy"), came to the ring in a robe similar to those worn by Flair, and mimicked Flair's mannerisms, signature strut and "wooo" catchphrase. Robinson emulated Flair throughout the match, using Flair's customary illegal tactics, but was defeated by George, who pinned him following a diving elbow drop. Robinson wrestled his second match one week later, teaming with Flair to face Randy Savage and Madusa on an episode of WCW Monday Nitro. In the course of the match, Savage delivered a botched diving elbow drop to Robinson, cracking several of his vertebrae and collapsing his lung. After undergoing treatment, Robinson returned to WCW television several weeks later, and was appointed to President Flair's stable. Flair and Piper kayfabe ran WCW until they were unseated by Sting, with Robinson returning to his refereeing duties. Robinson would again turn heel in the Fall of 1999, this time siding with Sid Vicious and Rick Steiner. Robinson would get involved in matches he was refereeing for Vicious and Steiner. This would go on for a month before Robinson would go back to being an unbiased Referee. In 2000, Robinson appeared in the WCW-produced film Ready to Rumble. On March 26, 2001 on Nitro, Robinson refereed the last WCW match ever, where Sting defeated Ric Flair via submission. When WCW's properties were purchased by the World Wrestling Federation from AOL Time Warner in March 2001, Robinson was hired by the WWF. He debuted in the WWF as a member of The Alliance, bickering with WWF loyalist referee Jack Doan and accompanying senior WCW official Nick Patrick to ringside for his match at WWF Invasion. He refereed his first WWF match on July 2, 2001. Despite being a member of the Alliance, Robinson, unlike fellow Alliance member Nick Patrick, was mostly a fair and impartial referee. An example of this would be the August 20, 2001 episode of Raw when he awarded Tajiri a victory over Booker T by disqualification when Booker T started choking Tajiri with his shirt. The night before at WWE Summerslam 2001, Robinson refereed Booker T's match against The Rock and called the match right down the middle as the Rock won the WCW Championship. In 2002, the WWF was renamed "World Wrestling Entertainment", and the roster was divided between two "brands", Raw and SmackDown!. Robinson was initially assigned to Raw, but was later traded to SmackDown!, where he refereed many women's matches. On the July 1, 2004, episode of SmackDown!, Robinson was forced to wrestle Luther Reigns by General Manager Kurt Angle. The match, however, was quickly stopped by Charlie Haas. Since 2002, Robinson has been a part of the WWE production and ring crew, helping assemble and disassemble the ring and set before and after shows. See Also WWE